The Observer, April 6, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 23
Student perspectives on drug and alcohol abuse on Case campus
click to enlarge
Last month, USA TODAY reported that drug use and binge drinking among America's 5.4 million full-time college students is on the rise. According to a study released by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, nearly half of college students abuse drugs or binge drink alcohol at least once a month. Abuse of prescription drugs and marijuana has increased dramatically since 1993. While about 8.5 percent of all people 12 and older meet the medical definition for alcohol or drug abuse or dependence, this statistic is much higher among college students – about 22.9 percent.
At Case, there have been two drug-related incidents reported by campus police so far this semester. While this isn't always a good indicator of the level of drug and alchol abuse, Case isn't exactly known for its party scene.
"Compared to other colleges, there are no parties at Case. I hear about people at other schools doing ecstasy and acid and shrooms, but not here," said sophomore Erica Hoffman. "I guess we don't have time to do drugs."
"Most of the freshmen who come in and rely heavily on drugs and alcohol don't make it far past their freshman year here because the course load is so intensive," said senior Brian Chorney.
Those who have been here for a few years, however, say they've seen a change.
"I'm actually under the impression that more of the current freshmen were drinking at younger ages," said Chorney. "In my freshman year, more people seemed to do things to try them out. Now, people do it to be cool."
It's no secret that the administration has been trying hard to break the perception that Case is a predominantly male, engineering school. Statistics from the Center for Institutional Research suggest that efforts such as the branding campaign and The Village at 115 are starting to pay off. Freshmen intending to pursue a degree in engineering, computer science, science, or math dropped from 64 percent in 2003 to 54 percent in 2006. In addition, the current freshman class is 57 percent male and 43 percent female, as opposed to the current senior class – 60 percent male, 40 percent female.
"A few years ago, everyone at Case was kind of nerdy," said senior Andrew Tran. "Now, they're trying to balance it out, so we have less nerds and more partiers."
Is the attempt to "balance it out" leading to an increase in criminal activity? And, considering that Case is still below the average level of alcohol and drug use, could the increase actually indicate a more "normal" student body?
"It's a bad thing for the school, but a good thing for the students," said sophomore Bruce Doll.
If Facebook can provide any evidence of emerging social trends, consider the group "Turning Case Into a Party School, One Step at a Time." With 209 members, it's certainly more popular than its opposite, a group called "Anti-turning Case Into a Party School, But That Doesn't Mean anti-party Group," which has only 31 members.
Fewer Case students seem to be "anti-party" each year. The effect that this will have on the school itself is still to be seen.
This is the first installation of a multi-part series on alcohol and drug abuse at Case Western Reserve University.
